In process automation, sensors are connected to a cable by means of a mechanical coupling, often by means of a bayonet closure. The cable, in turn, is connected to a superordinate unit, such as a measuring transducer or a control center. The sensor and cable respectively have an interface, e. g. an inductive or optical interface, by means of which the sensor is supplied with energy and communication from sensor to cable and to the superordinate unit is ensured. This is described, for example, in European Patent EP 1 625 643.
Particularly, the “Memosens” products of Endress+Hauser should be referred to here. Further generic designs are e. g. “Memosens” by the company Knick, “ISM” by Mettler-Toledo, the “ARC” system by Hamilton and the “SMARTSENS” by Krohne.
The currently used sensors and cables are axially plugged together and locked appropriately. In the plugged condition, the sensor housing and the cable housing are in axial arrangement to each other. Furthermore, the sensor element on the sensor side, e. g. an element to determine a pH value, as well as the connector on the cable side to the superordinate unit are likewise arranged in the axial direction to their corresponding interfaces. This results in a rigid arrangement that, depending on the length of the sensor, can have an axial length of approximately 25 to 85 cm. The cable is flexible to a large extent and can be up to 100 m long.
Due to the rigid and axial arrangement of cable and sensor, problematic measurement setups may occur under certain usage conditions, such as with a beaker in a laboratory. Thus, it may happen that the beaker is overturned by the sensor-cable arrangement's own weight. Consequently, precautions have to be put in place to effectively prevent such a possible scenario, see in FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 shows a sensor 1.StdT with a cable 11.StdT. The sensor 1.StdT is in a glass together with the medium 20 to be measured. On the sensor 1.StdT or on the cable 11.StdT, the mechanical couplings 2.StdT and 12.StdT, as well as the interfaces 3 and 13 are located. The cable 11.StdT is held by a support 21 in such a way that the sensor 1. StdT cannot tip over. An additional support 21 is inconvenient and complex. Furthermore, it makes disconnecting the sensor 1. StdT from the cable 11. StdT harder or, depending on the support arrangement, the couplings 2.StdT and 12.Stdt may be hardly accessible or not accessible at all.